What people are saying about Simpol...

Ken Wilber

American philosopher, author and founder of Integral Theory.

“The central idea of Simpol is very powerful; that is, the notion of how to link votes in one country with votes in another - how to link political action in one country with action in another. International competition is built-in to the nation-state system at its current level of development and so the issue is not environmental concerns, but how to get humans to agree on environmental concerns. This is really fascinating and very hopeful. In my opinion this is the crucial issue for the 21st century.”

Jose Ramos-Horta

President of East Timor. Nobel Peace Prize Laureat

"I am pleased to confirm to you my interest in endorsing the Simultaneous Policy campaign and to be as active in its support as I can."

Noam Chomsky

Professor (MIT), political activist, author

"It’s ambitious and provocative. Can it work? Certainly worth a serious try.”

Hazel Henderson

"The Simultaneous Policy is a creative proposal to accelerate progress toward a sustainable global economy. Many movements and grassroots globalists working for these goals can coalesce around such innovative initiatives."

Moises Naim

Dr. Hans Koechler

President, International Progress Organization

"In our era of global challenges and increasing interconnectedness between nation-states, transnational coordination among concerned citizens has become an indispensable element of democracy. I hope that many voters will make use of Simpol's innovative approach."

Ervin Laszlo

Author and Futurist

"In an age when our problems are global and national governance structures are weakened and inadequate, it is absolutely necessary to think about the shape of effective global governance. This cannot be simply national government "writ large", for that would also enlarge the problems and inefficiencies of national governance. It must be a holistic and evolutionary governance system, and as to the articulation of the essential features of such a system, John Bunzl makes an essential contribution. Highly recommended for anyone concerned with our collective future on this small and largely mismanaged planet."

Dr. Franz-Josef Racermacher

Head of the Forschungsinstitut für anwendungsorientierte Wissensverarbeitung/n (FAW/n)

"Simpol is an important initiative for combating major global challenges which depend on a deep systems-theoretical understanding both of current systems-theoretical challenges and potential solutions."

Diana Schumacher

Former President, The Schumacher Society

"The adoption of a Simultaneous Policy would eliminate the worst aspects of destructive competition from the economic system whilst promoting a recognition of the interdependence of each and all.”

John Stewart

Author, Evolution's Arrow - The Direction of Evolution and the Future of Humanity

"The Simpol proposal is a practical means of moving toward global governance. It should be an effective means of achieving cooperation where any individual government that behaves cooperatively will be disadvantaged until other governments also do so."

Terry Patten

"Simpol is brilliant and important. It enables trans-national creativity to get a running start long before established institutions are ready to act or even get out of the way."

Thomas Hylland Eriksen

Norwegian professor of social anthropology, University of Oslo, Norway

"Nearly everything has been globalised except democracy, and the challenges facing humanity in this century cannot possibly be dealt with by states acting on their own. John Bunzl's proposal is as original as it is pertinent, and would represent a huge step forward in promoting collective goals beyond those of the nation-state."

Nigel Martin

Founder, Forum for Democratic Global Governance

"What I admire about your book is the breadth of your knowledge, the inherent logic of your approach and your courage to be solution-oriented. I believe that the Simpol approach is doable and may, as you argue, be more realistic than any other approach at this point in time."

Angie Zelter

Co-founder, Trident Ploughshares Right Livelihood Award, 2001

“There is a mechanism available for politicians to regain the power to act in the interests of ordinary people and for democracy to blossom. The Simultaneous Policy: an Insider's Guide to Saving Humanity and the Planet by John Bunzl is a must for politicians, their constituents and all those concerned with creating a sustainable global economy.”

Dr. Farhang Sefidvash

"The concept of Simultaneous Policy is a wonderful way of implementing cooperation which is the new law of human survival in the globalized world.”

Steve McIntosh

Author of Integral Consciousness and Evolution's Purpose.

"I enthusiastically recommend the work of the International Simultaneous Policy Organization (SIMPOL). Innovative strategies to evolve politics and global governance are sorely needed in our increasingly globalized world, and SIMPOL offers a new and promising approach on the long road to democratic global law."

Scilla Elworthy

Founder, Oxford Research Group, UK

"I think John Bunzl's 'Global Domestic Politics' is a terrific book. You are writing with great clarity and it makes all the difference that you bring in Spiral Dynamics and Integral thinking. This allows you to make such strong points about diverse values and non-democratic nations. Until I read your clear analysis, I hadn't realised just how much destructive international competition is central to governments' problems."

David Lorimer

Editor, "Network", the journal of the Scientific and Medical Network

"Simultaneous Policy (Simpol) is an imperative in a competitive world that now demands new forms of cooperation in order to address global issues that cannot be resolved by one nation alone. ... John Bunzl analyses some key aspects of governance and sets Simpol in the context of transformative evolutionary change in our economic and political systems. ... A timely contribution to continuing debates about structures and processes of global governance, showing exactly why our current institutions are not fit for purpose."

Elisabet Sahtouris

Author, Earthdance - Living Systems in Evolution

"From my vantage point as an evolution biologist, John Bunzl's Simultaneous Policy is an idea whose time has come and an imperative if we are to evolve humanity from its juvenile competitive stage to its cooperative species maturity. A wonderful 'no risk' strategy for finding agreement on important issues in building global community!"

Shann Turnbull

Duncan Hames MP

Simpol-pledged UK Liberal Democrat MP

"I support Simpol as a way of tackling cross-border issues and addressing the 'prisoner's dilemma' of international competition. Naturally, the individual policies proposed for simultaneous impementation need to be considered on their merits at the time they are proposed."

Niccolo Rinaldi MEP

Simpol-pledged Member of the European Parliament, Scelta Europea (European Choice)

"As a candidate for Scelta Europea and as a Member of the European Parliament, I confirm my support for the Simpol campaign. At present my support is given in principle in the sense that I support Simpol as a process for bringing the governments of sufficient nations together around a cooperative agreement to solve the global problems we're confronted with. I will encourage my party and its members to participate in this initiative."

Sir Richard Body

Former Conservative Member of Parliament, UK

"The really big issues today now cross national frontiers and individual governments cannot cope with them in isolation. This is where Simultaneous Policy comes in. … [It] is the only way a host of problems can now be solved. Simultaneous Policy is the alternative.”

Anthony Wedgewood Benn

Former Labour Member of Parliament, UK

"Simultaneous Policy is very stimulating... by substituting internationalism for globalisation, cooperation for competition, humanity for markets, and wisdom for materialism, you have unlocked a powerhouse for good."

Philip Hollobone MP

"If the world can act together to tackle global issues then the greater the chance of success."

Øivind Bratberg

Fellow, University of Oslo Department of Political Sciences

"It's not easy keeping faith in today's nation-state structures in the face of global crises. At the same time political authority and decisions need to be anchored somewhere, and nation-states as unities have, after all, proven rather sustainable. At the same time these channels need to be supplemented - and here Avaaz and other actors like Simpol have a lot to offer. The future is open!"

Catherine McKinnell MP

Simpol-pledged UK Labour MP

"So many of today's challenges need an international effort to combat them, so I am delighted to make my pledge to support Simpol."

Prof. John McMurtry

Guelph University, Canada. Author, 'The Cancer Stage of Capitalism'

"...Bunzl argues for a program of restoring social control over the blind destructiveness of corporate globalisation by simultaneous government policies across world borders. The need for simultaneity of sovereign state action is an important new dimension of a debate affecting all planetary life.”

Prof. Charles Derber

Dept. of Sociology, Boston College, Boston

"There are ideas here that could change the world.”

Helena Norberg-Hodge

Director of the International Society for Ecology & Culture

"Your idea for a simultaneous policy is excellent .... Let's hope that people start to listen to this important message.”

David K. Levine

"Democratic institutions are the best that we have - but have many deficiencies. One is that the focus on local problems can lead to "beggar thy neighbor" policies. We may hope that transnational political organization can help overcome this - and Simpol is a creative ground-up effort to make this happen."

Svend Robinson

Former Member of Parliament, Canada

"Simultaneous Policy is indeed a fascinating and important contribution to the global movement to construct creative alternatives to our current system of international relations. I am particularly struck by the Policy's direct answers to the fundamental problems of competitive global relations.”

Prof. Christopher Leo

Dept. of Politics, University of Winnipeg, Canada

"Anti-globalization demonstrators have the attention of the world. If they wish to hold that attention, and start to make an impact on policy, they must now follow Simpol's lead and propose workable alternatives to the status quo.”

Ed Mayo

Chief Executive, National Consumer Council, UK

“[The Simultaneous Policy is] an elegant idea of how change could occur. It reflects the core ideas of how to create consensus around change.”

Barbara Marx Hubbard

Founder of "Evolve" and The Foundation for Conscious Evolution

“Simultaneous Policy is the first social initiative I have found which actually offers a political mechanism to further the evolutionary imperative for greater cooperation at the large scale level.”

Dr. Aidan Rankin

"Bunzl is, I feel, the first writer on the 'sustainable society' to advance beyond rhetoric and grapple with the problem of how such a society might be achieved".

Emilio José Chaves

Researcher in Economics and Sustainable Development

“The Simultaneous Policy is a simple, peaceful, low-risk and clear invitation for humankind to jump – in two steps – from a present spiral headed toward auto-destruction, into another one oriented toward life, cooperation and spiritual growth. To share is to live.”

Jakob von Uexkull

Founder and Chairman - Right Livelihood Award Foundation

“…the basic concept is excellent. … Let me know what develops!”

Steve Whiting

Quaker Peace and Service, QPSW London

"...I believe the Simultaneous Policy offers a prophetic and practical approach to the global politico-economic problems of our generation. Certainly it is one which would appeal to Quakers."

Jackie Navarro

ATTAC Québec, Canada

“…the best ideas are the simplest. With a system like this, there’s no way for governments to wriggle out. All excuses evaporate. It’s a system which unmasks all those seeking to hide behind theoretical impossibilites. I can’t wait to see what follows. Well done Simpol!”

Syd Baumel

“Simpol is a cunning Trojan horse designed to sneak humane social values into a global political order dominated by money and might.”

Kerri Smith

Activist and adult educator, Australia

“To this point in my life, I've found nothing more worthwhile of becoming involved with than Simpol. Sometimes all the hard work at the grass roots level for various organisations can feel futile in the broader, oppressive political landscape, and Simpol speaks directly to changing the broader political landscape .... [It] has caught my attention and passion like no other movement before.”

Mark Davey

Businessman and Social Entrepreneur, Yorkshire, UK

“In the twenty years that I have been afforded a vote, I am unashamed to say I have never used it. My theory was that not to vote was the best way of securing my protest to all or any political parties and as the years have gone on my decision at 18 to adopt this tactic has been fuelled by what is happening in the world. As soon as I had digested your information I signed up to Simultaneous Policy without hesitation and now feel almost compelled to get involved...congratulations!”